Why are my silkie girls not laying eggs?

[Bryam]

Hello!
I have 4 silkie girls that range in age from 5 months to 6 months and nobody is laying eggs! My roo is 5 months old and he is trying to jump on the girls, but he has not crowed yet.. When can I expect my girls to start laying? Any tricks? They are in a pen, but with wood chips and hay, but no laying boxes... Do they need laying boxes?

Thank for your advice!

 

[dalt1001]

I have 1 silkie rooster and 2 hens. I got them January first. They are about 8 months old,and they started laying around 5 months old,and thy done hatched about 30 eggs already. I did put laying boxes in there but they did not lay in the boxes,they started laying on the ground in a corner. But I would turn them lose for a few weeks,but lock them up at night,and feed them laying pellets.